Wuthering Dormice (aka Bike) Part 771 by Angharad

The drive home was quiet, the girls being reluctant to tell me what happened in the playground. In desperation I stopped the car in a lay-by and asked Trish what had happened.

“Petunia saw me in the playground and started calling me names, saying I was crazy or mad because I was seeing a shrink. She was horrible.”

“And what did you do in return?”

“I got upset and started to cry.”

“You didn’t say anything back?”

“No, Mummy, I was too upset.”

“So when did you get involved, Livvie?”

“When I heard Moo-cow calling Trish names.” She sniggered at her nickname for Petunia. Trish also sniggered, although I suspect she was still a little upset by the episode.

“And what did you do?”

“I stepped between Trish and Moo-cow, and called her names back.”

“I see, that’s when the teacher intervened?”

“Yes, Mummy, she wanted us to shake hands and apologise. I wasn’t very happy but I would do it because she asked me to. Moo-cow didn’t, she tried to bend my fingers and pull my arm.”

“Did she now? I think you were a big, brave girl for not reacting to her nastiness.” As I said this Trish laughed. “What’s the joke?”

“Livvie got her back later.”

“Tell me about it please, Livvie?”

“We were sent for by Sister Maria and we met in the corridor and she tried to grab my hand again.”

“What did you do?”

“I bit her.”

“You bit her on the hand?”

“Yes, Mummy.”

“Livvie, that wasn’t very clever.”

“She was grabbing my arm, Mummy, and was going to bend my fingers.”

“Couldn’t you just pull free from her?”

“No, Mummy, she’s stronger than me. She wanted to hurt me and scare me before we saw the headmistress.”

“What happened after you bit her?”

“She squealed and cried.”

“Was she still crying when you saw the headmistress?”

“Yes, Mummy, she’s a wimp.”

“What did the headmistress say?”

“She asked why Moo-cow was crying, and I told her it was because she tried to grab me and so I bit her.”

“What did she say to that?”

“She said it served Moo-cow right, but that we were both wrong to be squabbling, and I said she started it by calling Trish names. Then Sister Maria asked Moo-cow if she started it and she said she didn’t, so I called her a fibber and she pushed me.”

“She pushed you in front of the headmistress?”

“Yes, Mummy and Sister Maria was ever so cross with her.”

“So what happened then?”

“She sent me back to my class.”

“And Petunia?”

“I dunno, Mummy, she was still there.”

“Okay sweetheart,” I started up the car again and drove us home. So Petunia was an archetypal bully. Hardly a surprise, what was a surprise was that Livvie was equal to the challenge she posed, even if Trish wasn’t for the moment.

What I didn’t know was why and when Petunia was taken home – was she taken or was she sent home? Whose decision was it? And the one that was wriggling about in the back of my mind, how did Petunia know Trish was seeing the psychiatrist?

We got home and I made us a meal which we were all present for, except Simon, who was on his way back from London. I wasn’t sure what to do next so would be glad of Simon’s opinion. After they’d played for a while with Mima, I got them all ready for bed and Tom read them a story. He was certainly looking better by the day.

He came down as I was dishing up Simon’s meal, so he sat with us and shared a glass of wine. Simon was most impressed with Livvie, whereas Tom was more circumspect.

I went off to check my emails, and to my surprise had one from Dr Rose asking me to phone him, which I did without delay.

“Hello, Cathy, how are the girls?”

“They’re okay, thank you.”

“I hear someone has been annoying Trish by telling people that she sees a psychiatrist?”

“Yes, she got quite upset about it.”

“So did Dorian and I, it could indicate we have someone who isn’t as committed to patient confidentiality as the rest of us – in which case, once we find them, they’ll be out on their ear.”

“We don’t know who it is, though do we, so it could be someone who doesn’t work there, who simply recognised Trish or me.”

“That’s always a possibility, but we’re conducting an enquiry and if we suspect it is one of our staff we’ve made it known there could be prosecutions.”

“Would you actually do that?”

“If we had enough proof, but it’s unlikely to be strong enough to stand up in a court of law. Meanwhile, we’ve changed things in the children’s unit to make it less noticeable that we have psychiatry there.”

“Okay, it certainly sounds as if you’re doing all you can, and I’m very grateful. How about you come for dinner some evening?”

“That would be lovely, Cathy, but I think with my current commitments it could be months before I’m free enough to enjoy an evening out.”

“Oh, poor you,” I purred over the phone.

“Don’t start that, Cathy, or I’ll be over before you put the phone down.”

“You’d be very welcome, though we’re only drinking a Pinot Noir.”

“A very nice wine, were it not for the fact that I’d have to drive myself home, I’d be right around.”

“You’re more than welcome, and we do have spare rooms you know.”

“I have to go, Cathy, as soon as I know anything I’ll let you know.” With that he rang off.

I went back to the kitchen and joined in the conversation which had changed to the banking crisis again.